What Is Xenical
Xenical prevents your body from absorbing some of the fat you eat.
It is used to assist people lose weight or lower their chance of gaining it back. This medication should only be taken by adults and must be used in conjunction with a diet low in calories.
The prescription-strength version of orlistat is called Xenical. Orlistat under the Alli name can be purchased without a prescription.
Precaution
If you are pregnant, avoid using Xenical. It is not advised to lose weight while pregnant.
If you have a digestive disease (problems absorbing food), you should not use Xenical. If you are pregnant or have gallbladder issues, you should not use the medication. If you are not overweight, use cyclosporine, or have received an organ transplant, avoid using alli.
It’s just one component of a comprehensive therapy plan that also include weight management, exercise, and food. You should divide your daily consumption of fat, protein, and carbohydrates equally among all of your meals. Pay strict attention to your exercise, medicine, and food regimens.
Steer clear of a high-fat diet. When this medicine is used with high-fat meals, you run the chance of experiencing unpleasant intestinal or stomach side effects.
Prior To Using This Medication
If you have malabsorption syndrome (an inability to effectively absorb food and nutrients) or are allergic to orlistat, you should not take this medication.
Additionally, you shouldn’t take this medication if you have:
- Gallbladder Problems.
- If you are Pregnant.
Do not use alli if:
- You are not Overweight.
- You have had an Organ Transplant.
- You use Cyclosporine (to prevent organ transplant rejection).
To make sure this medication is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- Kidney Stones.
- Gallbladder Disease.
- Pancreatitis.
- Underactive Thyroid.
- Liver Disease.
- Kidney Disease.
- An eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia).
If you are pregnant, avoid using this medicine. Even if you are overweight, it is not advised to lose weight when pregnant. If you become pregnant, stop taking orlistat and notify your doctor immediately.
Your body may find it more difficult to absorb some vitamins if you use orlistat. If you are nursing a baby, these vitamins are crucial. If you are nursing a newborn, do not take this medication without first seeing your doctor.
Anyone under the age of twelve is not permitted to use the medication. Give alli to no one younger than eighteen.
How Should Xenical Be Taken
Use this medication precisely as prescribed by your physician or as instructed on the label. Don’t use more or less than is advised, or for longer than is advised.
Never give this medication to anybody else, especially if they have a history of eating disorders.
Read all of the instruction sheets, medication manuals, and patient information that you have been given. If you have any questions, consult your physician or pharmacist.
Typically, this medication is taken three times a day with each main meal that has some fat (no more than 30% of the calories for that meal). The medication can be taken with food or up to an hour thereafter.
If you skip a meal or you eat a meal that does not contain any fat, skip your dose for that meal.
No more than 30% of your daily calorie intake should come from fat. For instance, if you consume 1200 calories a day, fat should make up no more than 360 of those calories.
Every food item you eat should have its label read, with a focus on the amount of servings per container. You can create a healthy eating plan with the assistance of your physician, dietitian, or nutrition counselor.
Note
This medication is just one component of a comprehensive therapy plan that also include weight management, exercise, and food. You should divide your daily consumption of fat, protein, and carbohydrates equally among all of your meals. Pay strict attention to your exercise, medicine, and food regimens.
You might need to take a vitamin and mineral supplement while taking this medicine because orlistat can make it more difficult for your body to absorb certain vitamins. Observe your physician’s advice regarding the kind of supplement to take. Take the supplement before going to bed or at least two hours before or after taking orlistat.
Keep out of direct sunlight, heat, and moisture and store at room temperature. Hold the bottle firmly shut. Once the expiration date on the medication label has passed, discard it immediately.
Monitor your medication. You should be alert if someone is using your medication incorrectly or without a prescription because orlistat is a medication that can be abused as a weight-loss assistance.
Information On Dosage
Usual Adult Dose for Obesity:
- 120 mg orally three times a day with each main meal containing fat. The dose may be taken during the meal or within 1 hour of completing the meal.
Usual Pediatric Dose for Obesity:
12 years or older:
- 120 mg orally three times a day with each main meal containing fat. The dose may be taken during the meal or within 1 hour of completing the meal.
What Occurs If I Fail To Take A Dose
As soon as you remember to take the missing dose, but no later than an hour after a meal, do so. Take the medication at your next regularly scheduled time and skip the missed dose if it has been more than an hour since your previous meal. Never take more medication to make up for a missing dosage.
If I Overdose, What Will Happen
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line
What To Avoid While Taking This Medication
Steer clear of high-fat meals to prevent unpleasant intestinal or stomach side effects.
If you also take cyclosporine, do not take it within 3 hours before or 3 hours after you take the medication.
Avoid taking levothyroxine (like Synthroid) four hours before or after taking the medication.
Xenical Side Effects
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to the medication:
Hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using the medication and call your doctor at once if you have:
- Severe stomach pain.
- Severe pain in your lower back.
- Blood in your urine, painful or difficult urination.
- Kidney problems – little or no urinating; swelling in your feet or ankles; feeling tired or short of breath.
- Liver problems – nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, tired feeling, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
The fat-blocking effect of orlistat is the source of common side effects. These indicate that the medication is functioning as intended. These adverse effects are typically transient and might go away if you keep taking the medicine:
- Oily or fatty stools.
- Oily spotting in your undergarments.
- Orange or brown colored oil in your stool.
- Gas and oily discharge.
- Loose stools, or an urgent need to go to the bathroom, inability to control bowel movements.
- An increased number of bowel movements.
- Stomach pain, nausea, rectal pain.
What Other Drugs Will Affect Xenical
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to use the medication if you are also using any of the following drugs:
- Amiodarone.
- Insulin or oral diabetes medicine.
- HIV or AIDS medications.
- Seizure medicine (especially if your seizures get worse while taking orlistat).
- A vitamin or mineral supplement that contains beta-carotene or vitamin E.
- A blood thinner – warfarin, Coumadin, Jantoven.
This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with orlistat, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.
Additional Details
Never share your medications with others, keep this and all other medications out of children’s reach, and only take the medication as directed.
To make sure the information on this page pertains to your specific situation, always speak with your healthcare professional.
